Improvement in eay-rakeks and loaders



@teiten tapes atmt @fitta W.,VT. NICHOLS, OF RUTLAND'VERMONT.

Letters Patent No. 73,747, dated January 2s, 186s.

' MPBOVEMENT IN HAY-BARRES AND LQADERS.

Be it known that I, W. T. NICHOLS, of Rutland, 'in the county of Rutland, and State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful implement of husbandryand labor for the purpose of raking and loading hay and grain upon a wagon, whichas it combines both hay-rake and hay-wagon in o`ne entire organism, I denominate a Hay-Rake Wagon; and I do hereby declare that the Vfollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the'same, reference `being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification- A Figure 1 being a'top view,

Figure 2 being a. vertical section. l

A, rake; B, draught-carriage; C, connecting-chains; D, tool-box and seat; E, front 'double whiille-tree; F, rear double whille-tree; G, tongue; H, unloadinguope, O, coupling-frame; N, hoisting-levcr; K, elapper;

The design of the invention is to rake and load hay and grainwith the same implement, with the. same operation,'at the same time, and, in addition, so load it that, by means of a part of4 the implement, the lentire load can be taken oil' and placed on the stack or in the barn by means of horse-power, at one operation, without using a pitchfork of any kind.

The construdtion is as Jfollows: Four ordinarynvagon-wheels are used. The two large wheels are placed in front upon an axle, say tive feet long, and upon lthis axle is placed a square frame, with a long tongue, G, extending through it, and in frontof the wheels a long double Whittle-tree, inthe ordinary manner, upon the tongue, with hooksjn the end of the same, the small while-trees being placed immediately upon the double whiile-trce. Upon the rear end of the tongue another cross-bat` is placed, similar to the above-described double Whittle-tree, and attached tothe rear end of the tongue by a'bolt, and is intended to sustain one end o the rake `while the rake is being used as a-wagon.Y Uponthe top of the above-described frame, between the front wheels, is a box, used as a seat for the operator, and also to carry any tools, chains, ropes, or other articles required.

The rake A consists of a series of teeth or slides, twenty feet long, more or'less, by two inches thick andsix inches wide, more orless, arranged parallel toeach other, at proper distances apart, the edges upwards and bevelled, andth wholeIl duly fastened together by iron rods passing through wooden blocks between each tooth or slide, and the width. ofA the rake is regulated by the choice of the operator. The rake above set forth is mounted upo'rr'a long axle-tree at a point, say, of one-third of the length of the rake fom the rear end, and is fastened to the axle-tree by bolts or otherwise. Upon the rear end and sides of the rake are back and side stays, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and the rake is dcarried by the' two small-wheels. Between the rake and wheels, upon each side, is a hook fastened to the axle, and from these hooks ropes or chains C pass to the hooks in the long front double whiille-tree, and arcfastened tol the same. A continuous rope, E, Vor a rope tied with a single knot, is thrown over the front en d of the rake, passing underneaththe same, thence up the teeth to the rear end, thence over the back-stays, and allowed to hang in that position. Additional ropes may be used, if desired, or they may be cut apart and used with hooks or rings. The etiieotiveness of the invention-can be increased by a corresponding increase' of the size, either by making it wider, with the teeth or slides longer, orby making it longer, hanging the slides upon a'joint atA the axle, and letting the rear end rest upon pivoted wheelsat the rear end, or by pivoting a wheel under the centre axle.

The method of operation is as follows: After the unloading-rope H has been adjusted, as above set forth, the operator, with the front end of the rake Iresting upon the ground, drives forward, the hay is swept up by the rake, and slides in due time to the rear end. v When a suiieient load is thus upon the rake, he halts his team, raises the front end of the rake above the rear double while-tree, backs the team, letting the rake rest upon 'the rear double whiiiie-tree, shortens the connecting-chains'at the hooks upon the front double whiilleatree', and thus the rake becomes a wagon, 'whereupon the operator at once drives his load to the barnror stack. Upon arrival at the point of unloading, the conneetinghains are 'thrown off, the unloading-rope H is drqawn forward and out of the front teeth, and the rear end of the rope is brought over the back-stays, and the ends being brought together are hooked in-to the pulley-block, and the entire load is hoisted into position;

As a more expensive though more conyenient connecting arrangement than the chain C, the coupling-frame t), suilieiently shown in the accompanying drawings, may be used, in'which ease the 4lever N can be used fol* hoisting the front end of the rake, and the operation of loading and unloading is substantially'thc same, whether the chains or frame are used, and either may beusecl as convenience op choice shall dictate. Having stated the design, construvgztion, and operation of my invention, I claim- A combined hay-rake and hay-Wagon, in which therake is made' the wagon-bed, whereby the separate uses and purposes of a hay-rake and hay-Wagon can be accomplished by one and the same machine, using the same for either purpose at will, and by -which hay and grai-'n can be raked and loaded at the same time without any intermediate appliance other than the rake itself, substantially as set forth and described. i

2. The device of a'rake, which, for purposes of transportation, may be raised to form a part of the bed of u. wagon for carrying the haygathered thereon,.substantially'as and for the purposes set forth and described.

3. The combination of the unloading-rope H and gatheringrake or their equivalents, substantially as and for the purposes set forth and described. l

4. A rake having four or morelground or carrying-wheels, so that it may be used both for rakingnml carrying vthe hay when raked. l l

5. A coupling-device for connecting the rear and forward parts of the machine, substantially as described.

6. The combination of-l the rake A,Ahoistinglevcr N, and hinged clappei K, or their equivalents, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. l

7. The teeth extending in reaf of their supporting-axle, so that the rake and its load may be balanced upon saidraxlc, or nearly so, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

A W. T. NICHOLS.

Witnesses:

EDM. EBROWN, i A. M. Strooi'. 

